This invention relates to polymerization and polymer and monomer recovery processes.
Polymerization, polymer recovery, and monomer recovery processes usually involve several steps or phases. A monomer, which can be an olefin, is contacted with a catalyst capable of polymmerization the monomer under conditions suitable to form a solid polymer. The resultant polymerization process product, comprising unreacted monomer, polymer, and catalyst residue, can be combined with one or more catalyst deactivation compounds to reduce and inhibit any remaining catalyst activity. The different components of this final polymerization process mixture can be separated, purified, and, if desired and possible, recycled.
Solid, insoluble, and/or particulate polymer can be removed rather easily. The remaining substantially liquid polymerization reaction mixture usually comprises unreacted monomer, catalyst residue, catalyst deactivation compounds, and/or soluble polymer. It is desirable and beneficial to separate this reaction mixture in order to recover and recycle the different components, such as, for example, unreacted monomer. Unfortunately, an azeotropic mixture can be formed with the catalyst deactivation compound(s) and unreacted monomer. Thus, the separation process, if done thoroughly, can be very time-consuming, complex, and costly.